Goldwell Hair Colorand Oribe Hair Care have entered into an innovative alliance in the USA. The announcement reads:

Oribe Hair Care and Kao USA Inc., Salon Division, distributor of Goldwell Hair Color and a subsidiary of the internationally renowned Kao Corporation, are excited to announce their strategic alliance designed to offer premium, well-rounded education and service options to the top salons in the United States.

By combining the vast reach of each brand’s individual salon networks and cutting-edge professional education and support initiatives, this groundbreaking partnership will unlock powerful business and artistic opportunities for salons. Oribe Hair Care and Goldwell share a forward-thinking philosophy that puts stylists and salon professionals at the center of every decision; now, each brand will have an even bigger platform from which to bring innovation to the high-end segment of hair care experts and salon clients that they service.

“This is a natural collaboration between the country’s most premium hair color product and the top professional retail line,” commented  Kao Salon Division US President and GM Trevor Attenborough. “Together Goldwell and Oribe offer an unique pairing of unparalled product offerings, powerful marketing programs and the best support to help salons better grow their businesses. By combining our efforts, we’re now able to give salon professionals even more impactful tools to elevate their craft, their career and what they can offer to their clients.”

"Goldwell is an exceptional artisanal color line with a rich educational ethos, very similar to how we see ourselves at Oribe Hair Care,” said Daniel Kaner, co-founder and co-president of Oribe Hair Care. “This alliance gives both brands an artistic edge that integrates cut, color and styling.”

“Daniel and I have a long-standing relationship with Goldwell’s senior leadership team that is filled with mutual respect,” noted Tev Finger, Oribe co-founder and co-president. “We feel that our likeminded messages, rooted in craftsmanship and quality, will lead to an impactful partnership.”

Now, salon professionals will discover both leading brands at each other’s creative shows and education activities, including Oribe’s regional events across the country and its large education extravaganza taking place this fall in Miami. Look for the alliance to expand education opportunities for stylists featuring both brands at Goldwell/KMS Academies in New York City and Santa Monica, as well as at Oribe’s upcoming academy in Miami’s trendy arts hub of Wynwood.

MODERN SALON spoke with Attenborough and Kaner shortly after the announcement was made:

MS: How do you define strategic alliance?

TA: We both want to partner with salons that are interested in growing and becoming more successful. We share the same principles.  We want to work together to support salon owners and to keep salons healthy. So this is a collaboration on education and marketing activities to work for the betterment of the top accounts in the U.S.

When you look at what we both offer salons and how we approach the business as partners to salon owners, it makes sense that we would be stronger together.  We offer things they don’t and they offer things we don’t.

DK: Today, most hairstylists are not departmentalized—they do cut, color, styling—and color is such an important part of the business.  We’re not a color company but we are interested in all the techniques and disciplines and so are the top end salons.  Joining with Goldwell makes so much sense.  We have very similar perspectives.

MS: Did you preview this news with any of your salons?

DK:  We direct distribute and we have a very close relationship with our partners so I did test it a little bit and it was very well received.   They were very excited and delighted with the marriage of the two brands.

TA:  No, we didn’t but it was happening at the customer level, already.

MS: How will you introduce this to salons?

DK: We understand we are playing in a small world, the world of the top end salons, and we have tremendous appreciation for the guest.  And we are guests in their salons, so we play by their rules, we have very good manners, and together we will try to earn their respect at the highest level.  We truly want to do the right things for the guest and we hope to support the salons that we work with and bring them the best that we have to offer.  We won’t look for success until they have had the success.

MS: When will the results of this alliance become evident?

TA:  In a month or two.  We have two independent businesses that have to figure out how they will be working together. We’re still two separate companies, running separate sales and separate education, but when it makes sense for salons we’ll do that collaboratively.  It’s an evolution when you are running two organizations and joining forces.  

MS: Any final thoughts?

DK:  I have three partners—Oribe, Tev and a larger group of partners in our senior team, and I would like to acknowledge all of them.  We have made a nice impact in a very short time and we are very proud to be associated with Goldwell.

Trevor Attenborough, Kao Salon Division US President and GM (left) and Daniel Kaner, co-founder and co-president of Oribe Hair Care.

About Oribe Hair Care:

Founded in 2009 by renowned hairstylist Oribe Canales and industry veterans Daniel Kaner and Tevya Finger, Oribe Hair Care crafts exclusive artisanal blends of the finest hair formulations for the glamorous and hair-obsessed. Built upon a rich heritage of hairstyling, fashion and artistry, this truly unique collection was created for taste-driven individuals who know that personal style, perfectly expressed and paired with excellence, is the ultimate luxury. These are the products of the hair-obsessed.

About Kao USA Inc. Salon Division:

Kao USA Inc. Salon Division („Kao Salon Division“) is a business division of Kao USA Inc., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kao Corporation. Kao Salon Division is a thought and trend leader in the professional hair care industry as well as the home of the Goldwell and KMS California brands. The mission of Kao Salon Division is to enrich the lives of stylists, salon owners and their clients through partnership, salon business growth and our salon exclusive portfolio of advanced services, innovative products and inspiring education.